Vein stripper



July 24, 1962 J. M. SLATEN VEIN STRIPPER Filed Sept. 18, 1959 FIGS INVENTOR.

3,045,676 VEN STRIPPER John M. Slaten, 531 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. Filed Sept. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 840,829 4 claims. (ci. 12s-sos) This invention relates to surgical instruments and more particularly to vein strippers adapted for surgically removing varicose veins.

Vein strippers as commonly used in surgery consist essentially of a cable approximately three feet in length with a small tip at one end and a larger button or stripping head at the other end. .In many of the vein strippers on the market the tip Iand the stripping head are detachably screw-threaded on the cable and can be interchanged in position, so as to permit stripping of the vein by traction on the cable in either direction. Such vein strippers, however, have certain inherent disadvantages. The threads often become clogged with blood yand other matter, making it diiiicult to unscrew and screw the parts during the surgical operation. The tips, which must of necessity be very small, are difficult to handle and are easily lost, and the fine threads are easily stripped.

An object of the invention is to provide a vein stripper having 'an improved stripping head of simple and inexpensive construction which can be firmly but detachably securedto `a tip-carrying end of a stripper cable, Vthe stripping head being easily and quickly applied to and removed from the cable and being readily cleaned and sterilized.

Another object is to provide a vein stripper of this character which will permit permanent attachment of introducing tips to both ends of the cable, and allow easy application of the stripping head to either end of the cable.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. l is a perspective view of an end portion of a vein stripper of the invention, showing la pair of complementary stripper head members thereof is a partially assembled condition on a tip-carrying cable of the stripper;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of the pair of complementary stripper head members;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the stripper cable, parts bei-ng broken away;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the stripper head member of FIG. 2, as viewed from the plane 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an end View of the stripper head member of FIG. 3, as viewed from the plane 6 6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an opposite end view of the stripper head member of FIG. 3, .as viewed .from the plane 7-7 of FIG. 3, and

FIG.`\8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the assembled stripper head applied to a tip-carrying end portion of the cable.

In the drawing, lll designates a flexible cable having tips Il permanently attached to the opposite ends thereoi, as by br-azing. In practice, the cable is about three feet in length. Each tip is of cylindrical shape and has a rounded outer end '12. The tip is slightly larger in diameter than the cable, and the inner end of the tip presents an annular shoulder 13:` about the cable. Either of the tip-carrying ends of the cable may be entered or introduced into a vein.

A stripping head 14 is detachably mounted on either end of the cable and comprises a pair of complementary head members 15 and 16 of generally cylindrical shape disposed in coaxial, tandem, interlocking relation on the cable, the diameters of the head members being equal j 3,i5,blb Patented July 24, 19162 and being substantially larger than the cable tips. Because of their size, the head members are readily handled and are not easily lost. The head member 15 comprises a short cylindrical portion 17 having la medial peripheral groove 18 to facilitate handling and further having flat opposite end faces I9 and Ztl normal to the axis of the cylindrical portion` Projecting axially from the end face 2li of the cylindrical portion 17 is a slightly tapered projection 21 of semi-circular cross-section, the flat side of the projection lying approximately in an axial plane of the cylindrical portion. Formed axially through the cylindrical portion 17 is a keyhole slot 22 the central plane of which extends diametrieally of the cylindrical portion and bisects the projection 2l. The slot 22 has a circular tip-admitting enlargement 23 near the periphery of the cylindrical head portion, and the reduced portion of the slot is of a width to slidably receive the cable and terminates in a cable-receiving groove 24 of semi-circular cross-section extending yalong the axial region of the cylindrical head portion. The cable-receiving groove 24 is extended longitudinally along the iiat side of the projection 2l.

The head member 'i6 is somewhat longer than the `axial dimension of the cylindrical portion 17 of the head member l5, and has formed axially therethrough an opening 25 of semi-circular cross-section adapted to admit the tip-carrying end of the cable therethrough and to slidably interiit with the projection 21 of the head member l5. The flat side of the opening 25 lies in an iaxialplane of the head member I6 and is provided with a cable-receiving groove 26 .of semi-circular cross-section extending along the axis of this head member to confront the groove 24 in the projection 21, the confronting grooves forming a cable passage. The cylindrically concave surface of the semi-cylindrical opening 25 is concentric with the peripheral surface of the head member I6, and an :arcuate web 27 is left between these surfaces. The projection 2l substantially iills the opening 25, exceptior the cable passage.

The head member 16 has concave opposite end faces 28 of shallow conical shape, FIG. 8, and the intersection of these .faces with -the cylindrical periphery of this head member forms a pair of selectively usable circular stripping edges 29 each of which extends in continuous or unbroken relation around the head member. The projection 21 ofthe head member `15 may be inserted into either end of the opening 25 in the hollow head member 16, and the slidable tit between the projection and the opening 25 serves to retain the two head members in axial alignment nand against relative rotation. When the head members are in assembled relation, one of the peripheral edges 29 of the head member 16 is in abutment with the marginal portion of the end face 20 of the head member '15, and the confronting grooves 24 and 26 of the head members form the cable-receiving passage.

In the use of the vein stripper, either end ot the tipped cable 10 is passed through an incisionin one end portion o-f the varicose vein in the usual manner and thence outwardly through another incision in the vein, both ends of the cable being then in exposed position. The twopart stripping head I4 is then applied to either end of the cable, the head members 16 and 1S being successively slipped over the tipped end of the cable. In this manipulation the tipped end of the cable is admitted through the relatively large semi-circular opening 25 in the head member 16 and then through the enlarged outer Vportion 23 of the keyhole slot 22 in the head member 15. The head member I6 is then displaced laterally to place the cable in the groove 24 at the narrow end of the keyhole slot, and the head member 16 is displaced laterally to place the cable in the groove 26, whereupon the head members are relatively axially displaced into abutment, the projection 21 of the head member 15 entering the semi-circular opening 2S in the head member 16 to mutually retain the head members in axial alignment and against relative rotation. With the head members thus assembled, the cable is confined Within the confronting grooves 24 and 26 of the head members. The assembled stripping head is then shifted axially on the cable to abut the flat end face 19 of the head member against the rannular shoulder 13 of the tip member. Traction is then applied to the head-carrying cable to strip the vein, the exposed circular stripping edge 29 of the head member 16 engaging the Vein to remove it from the surrounding tissue. During this manipulation the two-part stripping head is firmly held on the cable.

After the operation, the stripping head is easily removed from the cable by axially separating the head members from each other and withdrawing them from the tipped Yend'of the cable, and the stripped vein is then withdrawn from the cable. The instrument parts can be readily cleaned and sterilized for subsequent use.

I claim:

l. A vein stripper comprising a flexible cable having an introducing tip on at least one end thereof, the inner end of said tip forming an annular shoulder about the cable, a stripping head detachably mounted on said cable and comprising a pair of complementary, axially separable, lirst and second head members, each head member having an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, the opening in each head member including a cable-receiving ygroove extending along the axial region of said head member and further including an enlarged portion laterally communicating with said groove to admit the tip-carrying end of the cable therethrough, the width of the groove in said first head member being smaller than the diameter of said tip, said head members being normally disposed in aligned axially abutting position on the cable and when in such position having their grooves in opposed confronting relation to form a cable passage receiving said cable, one of said head members having an axially extending part fitting in the opening of the other head member for positioning said members in coaxial relation against relative rotation, said first head member being normally disposed in centered position on the cable and abutting axially against the annular tip shoulder, and the 'second head member having a peripheral vein-stripping edge at the end thereof remote from said rst head member. y

2. A vein stripper comprising a exible cable having an introducing tip on at least one end thereof, the inner end of said tip forming an annular shoulder about the cable, a stripping head detachably mounted on said cable and comprising a pair of complementary, axially separable, first and second head members, each head member having an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, the opening in each head member including a cablereceiving groove extending along the axial region of said head member and further including an enlarged portion laterally communicating with said groove to admit the tip-carrying end of the cable therethrough, the width of the groove in said lirst head member being smaller than the diameter of the tip, said head members being normally disposed in aligned, axially abutting position on the cable and when in such position having their grooves in opposed confronting relation to form a cable passage receiving said cable, said irst head member having an end face normally abutting against said tip shoulder, and said first head member having at its opposite end an axially directed projection fitting in the enlarged portion of the opening of said second head member to align said members and prevent relative rotation thereof, said second head member having a peripheral vein-stripping edge at the end thereof remote from said first head member.

3. A vein stripper comprising a flexible cable having an introducing tip on at least one end thereof, the inner end of said tip forming an annular shoulder about the cable, a stripping head detachably mounted on said cable and comprising a pair of complementary, axially separable, iirst and second head members, each head member having an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, the opening in each head member including a cable-receiving groove extending along the axial region of said head member and further including an enlarged portion laterally communicating with said groove to admit the tip-carrying end of the cable therethrough, the width of the groove in said first head member being smaller than the diameter of the tip, said head members being normally disposed in aligned, axially abutting position on the cable and when in such position having their grooves in opposed confronting relation to form a cable passage receiving said cable, said irst head member having an end face normally abutting against said tip shoulder, and said iirst head member having at its opposite end an axially directed projection fitting in the enlarged portion of the opening of said second head member to align said members and prevent relative rotation thereof, said second head member having selectively usable peripheral vein-stripping edges at opposite ends thereof, and the projection on said first head member being axially insertible into either end of the opening in said second head member.

4. A vein stripper comprising a exble cable having an introducing tip on at least one end thereof, the inner end of said tip forming an annular shoulder about the cable, a stripping head detachably mounted on said cable and comprising a pair of complementary, axially separable, first and second head members of generally cylindrical shape, said head members being normally disposed in aligned tandem relation on the cable, said iirst head member having a keyhole opening extending axially -therethrough in a diametrical plane of the head member, said opening including a slot portion the width of which is smaller than the tip diameter, one end of said slot portion forming a cable-receiving groove extending along the axial region of said iirst head member, said opening further including an enlarged radially outer portion to admit the tip-carrying cable therethrough, said iirst head member having an end portion normally abutting against said tip shoulder and having at its opposite end portion an axially directed projection of generally semicylindrical cross-section, said projection having therein a cable-receiving groove disposed along the axial region of said first head member and forming an extension of .said first-named groove, said second head member havingan opening extending longitudinally therethrough, fsaid last-named opening including a cable-receiving groove extending along the axial region of said head member and further including an enlanged portion laterally communicating ywith said groove to admit the tipcarrying cable therethrough, said enlarged portion being of generally semi-cylindrical cross-section and slidably interlitting with said projection for aligning said head members and preventing relative rotation of said head members, said head members when in aligned interlitting position having their cable-receiving grooves in confronting position to form a cable passage yreceiving said cable, and said second head member having a peripheral vein-stripping edge at the endv thereof remote from said first head member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,779,334 Sandborn Ian. 29, 1957 

